Motherhood & Me

What an amazing journey my life has been over the last 9years. A turbulent ride... a roller coaster ride. I have had 3 beautiful children in that time, as well as the heart ache of 1 miscarriage. My children are 9, 5 & 3. I feel that I am incredibly blessed. Today I want to write about the entries into this world... Their deliveries....from the perspective that each was a miracle & moved me in ways I once never felt I could be moved.

My mother had always said that she didn't want to be near me when i went into labour... the reason being she had brushed my hair growing up as a child and new how sensitive to pain i could be. I guess she didn't realise I was sensitive to the tug & pull of hair brushing (especially given that I was 1 of 10 children & my mothers patience wore thin... and her grip tighter the further she went along the line. Suffice to say I soon knew to be the first to have her hair brushed & quick to start self-grooming. Anyway. not being rude Mum (I love you) but i wouldn't want you in the labour suite.....

Anyway lets just say I proved my mother wrong. I am a very natural person. I know each women has the right to decide how & where she wants to deliver her child. The choice of pain medication is purely personal.

I myself wanted little or no intervention & to have drug free births. My ideal birth was a darkened room, my husband & I, the shower, soft rhythmical healing music & the smell of aromatherapy filling the air. I knew I wanted to bring my children into a world of calm... I wanted to have a drug free birth as I wanted to be in total control of my mind & body.. I wanted to feel the functional pain...

I wanted to embrace it & make it work for me... I did this... I created a sense of calm... I brought my children into a quiet, lightly lit room... the room smelled of neroli, rose & ylang ylang... the sounds of http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apdGYCWatM8 filled the air. I felt beautiful, I felt empowered & I felt strong. I grew deeply in love with my husband, connecting on a much deeper level. As I type this now it is through tears of love & joy. I grew in respect for myself. It was as though I reached inside of me & found a well of beauty, strength & love. I was strong... I was capable. I could make the journey through birth as least traumatic as possible for my children.

I was blessed my first birth was only 3 hours from start to finish. Yet with quick & intense deliveries it can play havoc on your body. My beautiful boy was born with club feet. I knew that at the 20weeks scan..so I was prepared. Oh did i love him.... I am overcome now with the same intense set of emotions as when I first laid eyes upon his perfect face... bruised from a quick delivery but.. I had never seen or felt anything so 'whole' so 'real' so 'perfect'

My 2nd son (picture) was a much quicker delivery... I almost had him on the freeway... yet somehow i breathed through 1 minute contraction (every 2minutes) while my husband drove. i was even able to run into my house grab my CD's & aromatherapy oils & comb (for acupressure) He was 5&half weeks early, so I was a little anxious. I walked into the delivery suite & the nurses looked at me... yeah.. you'll be fine... I was already 9cm's ... suffice to say my Son was born pretty much straight away.. enough time to get the music on... oils burning. It was so quick... it was incredible...

The Dr said it was just like an old fashioned birth... All I know was that I fell in love with him instantly.. my funny looking little baby.. he seemed so small. Oh yes & I fell deeper in love with my husband. I also was so proud of myself. Once again I welcomed my precious child into an environment of calm. It didn't help that he had to be in special care nursery for 17 days.

I missed holding him skin on skin, i missed the smell of him. It hurt like hell to drive away from him & have to leave him in hospital. Those 17days.. were tough... running back 5 times a day to express & feed him. Let me say we partied when we finally were given the all clear. Our little man was where he belonged... in our loving arms... Oh how much I loved this tiny little boy in my arms.. I never knew I was capable of such love....

18 months later my precious little bundle of girl came flying into this world. Once again the midwives couldn't believe how quick my labour progressed. I sat rocking on the exercise ball, listening to Medwyn Goddall & visualising Gardenias. The smell of Rose, Neroli & ylang Ylang filling the air. I was high on life.... I could feel my little darling making her way into this world. The delivery was so quick.. 6 minutes after waters breaking... she was perfect & fed straight away.

What an incredible feeling to hold my sweet precious child against my skin & be able to feed her... I was truly blessed... My Angel lay in my arms... my heart & spirit filled to overabundance. I was blessed with 3 beautiful children. I didn't know then that my little Angel would be diagnosed with Epilepsy, brain tumours & a genetic disorder. All i know was that she slipped into this world like someone who had been here before. She filled a void in my heart that I didn't even know existed. In fact with each birth.. the children have given me a piece of my hearts puzzle. The love & respect that I felt for myself & my husband also helping to grow me as a person. I feel so blessed. i feel so loved & i have so much love. At present they are flowing forth in the shape of tears... tears of reliving & remembering the priceless moment of each birth... the moment my babies met me their Mum....

having written this I know that not everyone's birth experiences are like mine. Sisters have had very traumatic emergency C sections. I am blessed that my body, mind & spirit worked insync & I was able to have the births that I did.

And to my Mum, who brought 10 children into this world... Oh how I love you.. Oh How I respect all that you are & all that you have done. You have walked a very sad & harsh road. A road that no parent should have to walk (you & darling dad) I love you .... I love you